Speed controller and regulator for explosive-engines.



PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.

' lH. FORD. SPEED CONTROLLER AND REGULATOR FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23. 1902.

SPEED CONTROLLER AND E APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1902.

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H. FORD. BGULATOR FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

PATENTED APR. 2, 1907.-

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PATBNTED APR. z, 1907. H. FORD.

` SPEED CONTROLLER AND REGULATOR'FOR EXLLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLGATION FILED AUG. 23, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IVITNESSES. b5

STATES narra nrnnr OFFICE HENRY FORD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN,"ASSIGNOR TO I-IILRY FORD COM- PANY, 'OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF l\IICI-IIGAN.

SPEED CONTROLLER AND REGULATOR FOR EXPLOSlVE-ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 2, 1907.

Application filed August 23l 1902. Serial No. 120,854.

To* ,ZZ wlwm/ it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY FORD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain n'ew and useful Improvements in Speed Controllers and Regulators for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention refers to explosive-engines in which anlexplosive mixture of light hydrocarbon oil and air is drawn into the cylinder by suction, and has for its object to control the speed of the engine within its working limits by controlling the quantity of the eX- plosive mixture allowed to be drawn into the cylinder.

To this end my invention refers to means for conducting a measured quantity of hydrocarbon and a measured quantity of air through the intake-pipe intothe-cylinder, in combination with means under control of the operator for proportionately increasing or decreasing the quantity of air and oil, so as to change at will` the quantity of the explosive mixture without changing its quality, all

` asmore fully hereinafter' set forth.

The invention consists, further, in the pecul-I iar construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed and claimed in the specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gasolene# engine, showing my invention, parts being broken aw. y to better illustrate the parts. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, the gasolenefeed mechanism and air-inlet being shown in section. Fig.'2, through the valve mechanism looking to the right. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the gasolene-chamber, air-inlet, and mixer, with `the top casing removed. Fig. 5 is a vertical central section on line y y', Flg. 4; and Fig. is a section on line z e, Fig. 5, at right angles to said figure.

In all of the drawings like numerals refer to like parts, and, as shown in the drawings, 1 2 are the two cylinder-castings bolted together on the line 3 3 by the tapbolts 4 at the bottom and the shouldered rods 5 atthe top, fitting in suitable apertured vears (i, integrally formed in the castings and set up on their opposite ends by the nuts 7.

Fig.'3 is a section on line 90,.

8 is the crank-casing; 9, the crank-shaft journaled in bearings in the opposite sides of the casing; and 10 is the gasolene-supply tank.

11 is a circular casing forming the mixing-` chamber, supported upon the rods 5 by the brackets 12, sleeved thereon and secured at their upper ends to the lips 13 on the casing by the bolts 14.

15 are tangential outlet-openings formed in the opposite sides of the casing and'con nected with the inlet-ports of their respective cylinders by the intakepipes 16, the vertical member 17 of said pipes being preferably cast and formed with a right-angled portion 18, fitting within the inlet-openings 19, and forming a valve-seat 20 for the inlet-valves 21, guided in said openings by. the sleeve 22,. supported therein by the radial ribs 23.

24 is an upwardly-extending portion of the casing 11 and 25 a downwardly and inwardly flaring portion formed with a circular opening 26, within the mixing-chamber proper. Integrally formed in the upper end of said casing is the gasolene-chamber 27, with the air-inlet passages 28 on either side uniting at their lower end below the gasolene-chainber, and 29 is a cover for said. gasolene-chainber, held in place by screws 30, a screw-threaded nipple 31 projecting above the center of said plate and through which the auxiliary airinlet pipe 32 projects, a packing-nut 33 being provided to make a tight joint.

34 is a steel Wearingplate let into the boi'H tom of the gasolene-chamber, and is an outwardly-Haring aperture formed in said plate and in the bottom of the gasolencchamber in line with th(` auxiliary air-inlet pipe. 36 is a perforated plato lying on top ofthe wearing-plate 34 and over the aperture 35, adapted to be reciprocal-ed and guided within said chamber by a looped frame 37, encircling said plate and provided with a stem 38,' projecting out through a stu'l'ling-box 39 on the side of the casing, whereby said plate is detachably held in position, and one having different sized or va greater or lesser number of perforations may be readil)r substituted as desired.

41 is an apertured block or plate on top of the plate 36, .formed With a counterbore 42, into which the flanged nipple 43 of the auxiliary inlet-pipe fits, agasket 44' being interposed between the end of said nipple and the IOO shoulder of the counterbore to form a tight joint, and is a flat spring, acting against the hanged portion ofsaid pipe to yieldinglvhold the block 41 against the plate 36 to form a tight joint, the adjacent faces of the wearplates 34 and 41 and the opposite 'faces of the plate 36 being ground absolutely true to form a perfect Working joint between them as the plate 36 reciprocates.

46 is a gasolene-supply pipe connecting the gasolene-tank with the gasolene-ehainber, and 47 'are air-pipes connecting the gasolenechamber with the gasolene-tank, so that as the gasolene is drawn from the tank it will be replaced by air from the gasolene-chamber.

48 is a suitable cover Jfor the casing 11,pro vided with a central aperture-49 in line with and of somewhat larger diameter than the auxiliary air-inlet pipe 32, and 5() is the air intake pipe, loosely fitting in said aperture and provided with an elbow and Haring mouthpiece lacing' toward the iront of the machine, so that the air will have ready access thereto, a suitable screen being provided in said pipe to prevent the ingress of dirt or dust.

51 and 52 are transverse rock-shafts mounted in suitable bearings on top of the cylinder-casting, and 53 and 54 are rockarms carried by the opposite ends of the shaft 51, the arm 54 being preferably formed integral therewith and with a U-shaped bend, as shown in Fig. 3.

55 is a link connecting the rock-arm 53 with a crank-disk 56, j ournaled in the crank casing and carrying a gear-wheel 40, meshing with a gear-pinion 57 on the crank-shaft, from which motion is derived. for operating the valve and feeder mechanism'.

5S is a sleeve having a sliding engagement with the squared portion of the rock-arm 54 and provided with wrist-pins on its opposite sides.

59 is a link connecting the stem of the feeder mechanism with one of said pins, and 60 is rock-arm fast on the shaft 52 and pivotallvconnected at its outer end, bymeans of a link 6l with the other of said pins, said link having a limited adjustment on the outer end oi said arm, as shown.

(52 is a hand or controlling lever tast upon one end ol the. shaft 52 within convenient reach of the operator and forms the only means lor moving said shall... 655 are rockarms mounted at o r near [he opposite ends ot said sh:1ft,and (M- are links connecting-the -ii'ee endsot said arms with lull-crank levers 65, pivolallv mounted inbenrings on lhe uppcl' ends ol' i he tubes 17.

l l'is a .slotted wedge slidingly.mounted in suitable guides 67, formed on the apr'tul'ed lnaring-block 63,' through which the siem oli' the inlet-valvepasses, .the edge 66 being li lo 'have a 691sasmnlarWedge-block,h'ee1.o move only imiled v(`\.rii -fal movement. l

in line with the valve-stein, but-cooperating with the wedge 66 to form a variable stop or abutment for the opening movement Iof the inlet-valve as the wedge 66 is moved in or out. The block 69 travels in suitable guides 70 on the adjacent face ol" the wedge 66 to torni a square shoulder for the stop or shoulder on the v alve-stem.

71 is a sleeve formed on the under side of the block 69, 'iitting over a nipple' 72 on the block 68, through -which the valve-stem passes, all Within the slot or wedge 66, which slot preferably forms a stop to limit the movement of said wedge.

73 is a link pivotally connecting the wedge 66 with the free end ofthe bell-crank lever` 65.

74 is a coil-spring sleeved on the stem 'of the inlet-valve and acting through the medium of nuts, forminor a shoulder to hold the same normally close and 75 are adjustingnuts on the end of said stem, cooperating with the variable stop to limit the opening movement of the inlet-valves, a greater opening movement being obtained b v means of the Wedge-blocks just described and inter mediate mechanism the will of the operator, the quantity. of explosive mixture drawn in being in proportion to said opening movement.

The valve 'mechanism tor both cylinders being alike, l have deemed it necessary only to describe one, and I may, if desired, move both wedgeblocks 66 and 6) by a mere duplication of the mechanism already described.

Having thus fully described the invention, it is intended to operate as follows: The chamber 27 being filled with gasolene. from the supply-tank andthe engine turned overA Ato its mitral or suction stroke, an` will be drawn in through tbe air-inlet passages 28, and as a portion of the air is drawn in through the pipe 32 it will draw in a sutlicient quantity of ga solene in passing through the perforated plate 256, the perl'oiations or pockets oijwhich are constantly iilled with gaselene from the chamber 27, the amount of gasolene admitted at each charge varying according to the length of stroke oll the plate or the number of perforations or pockets permitted to pass the opening 35. al. under control of the operator through the medium ot a suitable hand or 'loot lever 62 and intermediate mechanism, so that as the sleeve 53 moved up on the arm 54 on the end of shalt 5l the lengthot stroke. will be increased, and consequently more.gasolem` admitted.requiring a greater opening oll the inlet-valves, which is zufeomplished by meansoi` the roelvshal't 52, links 64, bell-crank levers 65, links 73,

and wedges 66, which as the lnind-lever 6*) is moved forward withdraws these \\'edges to the desired ext-ent through the medium ol' the mechanism greater just described and permil.-q a opening movement o't` the inlet- IUC IlO

valves, so that it will be seen that. of a single common lever the movement of both the inlet-valves on a two-cylinder engine and the amount of gasolene supplied are controlled at one and the same time and, a perfect mixture and working of the engine obtained under all conditions of use.

The parts arc preferably so set and intended to operate that the inlet-valves instead of being mere suction-valves will also act as throttle-valves and will always have a limitcd opening movement liust sullicient to keep the engine running, from Which the speed of the engine may be increased by the controlling-lever to the maximum limit.

Having thus .fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is' y l. In an explosive-engine, the combination with an air-intake pipe into the cylinder open to theatmosphere and having an automatically-operating suction-valve at the junction of the'intake- )ipe with the cylinder, of a variable oil-fee ing device inthe intake-pipe comprising a multiportcd slide-valve oper-v ated by the engine and adapted to feed the oil in measured quantity into the intake-pipe, means under control of the operator for varying the quantity of oil discharged at each suction-stroke of the piston, and connection between said controlling means and the suction-valve whereby the extent o'l' opening of the suction-valve and correspondingly the amount of air permitted to pass through the suction-valve into the cylinder is proportionately varied. i

2. In an explosive-engine, the combination with an air-intake pipe into the cylinder open to the atmosphere and an automatically-o erating suction-valve at the junction of t 1e intake-pipe with the cylinder, a. variable abutment for said valve controlling the extent of opening of said valve, a vertical branch in the intakeipe, a gasolene-holder through which said ranch pipe passes, a

-multiported slide-valve in said gasoleneholder traversing the branch pipe and adapted to var the oil-feed by varying the' stroke of the va ve,l a lever under the control of the operator 'for lengthening or shortening the stroke of the valve, and connection between said lever and the variable abutment of the intake-pipe for correspondingly increasing or decreasing the extent of o ening of the suction-valve whereby the qua ity of the exlosive fluid remains 'fixed but the quantity 1s variable.

3. In an explosive-engine the combination, of a generator comprising an air-intake pipe open at one end. and connected at the other end to the cylinder, an automatic suctionvalve at the junction of Athe intakeipe with the cylinder, an adjustable stop at t ie end of the-valve-stem limiting the motion of the Valve, a variable abutment consisting of two by means l, wedge-shaped members one of which is under the control ot' the operator, a gasoleneholder, a supply-tank coimnunicating with said gasolene-holder, a vertical branch in the air-intake pipe passing through said gasolene-holder, a slide-valve submerged in the gasolene-holder and variably traversing the branch pipe and variable valve-gear for said valve under control of the operator.

4. In an explosive-engine, the combination with an air-intake pipe open to the atmosphere having an automatically-operating suction-valve at the junction of said intake-pipe with the working cylinder, a vertical branch in said intake-pipe through which a portion of the air passes, a gasolene-holder through whichsaid branch pipe passes, a multiported slide-valve submerged in said'gasolene-holder and traversing said branch pipe, a rock-arm operated bythe motion of the engine and carrying a sliding sleeve, actuating valve-gear connected to said sliding sleeve, a lever under the control of the operator, connections between said sliding sleeve and the lever for lengthening and shortening the stroke of the valve, a variable abutment controlling .the extent of opening of the automatic valve and means connectin(T said abutment -with the sliding sleeve,l whereby the lengthening or shortening of the stroke of the valve correspondingly increases orv restricts the extent of opening of the suction-valve. y

5. In an explosive-engine the combination with the cylinder, of a generator forming the intake-pipe, a casing in said pipe provided with a horizontal diaphragm forming a mixing-chamber in the lower portion of the casing and a gasolen'e-holder in the upper crtion of the casing, the intake-passage lea ing through said holder and the multiportedv slide-valve in said' holder traversing'said passage at substantially right angles thereto and intermittently communicating with said holder on opposite sides andthe apertured seats on opposite sides of said valve in line with said passage.

6. In an explosive-engine the combination lao with the cylinder, of a generator comprising Yan air-intake pipe open at one end and connected at the other end to the cylinder, a casing in said pipe providedwith the two side passages and the central passage through it, the

horizontal diaphragm forming a mixingchamber in the lowerportion of the casing and the gasolcne-holder above it, through which the central passage passes, the variably-actuated slide-valve in said holder intermittently communicating with said holder `and said passage andthe seats on opposite sides of the slide-valve.

7, In an explosive-enginethe combinatiox with the cylinder, of a generator comprising an air-intake pipe open at one end and connected at the other end to the cylinder, a casing formingv a portion of said pipe, provided with a gasolene-holder and the passages around said holder uniting ahove and helow said holder and the Central passage through it, a diaphragm forming a mixing-chamber in the lower portion of the casing and a multiported slideevalve in said holder having a variable movement in open communication with the central passage. 4

8. In an explosive-engine the Combination with the cylinder, of a generator comprising an air-intake pipe open ,at one end and con- `neoted to the cylinder at the other end, a casing in said pipe, a gasolene-holder in said cas- 'Ing, air-passages around said holder and a central passage through it uniting above and below said holder, a diaphragm forming a mixing-chamber in the casing below said holder, a slide-v alve 1n said holder traversing atingf suction-valve at tlie junction of said intake-pipe with the cylinder and means under Control of the operator for proportionatelvT varying the stroke of the slide-valve and the opening movement of the suctionvalve in direct proportion to each other.

In testimony whereof I aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY .FORD

Witnesses: I

WILLIAM H. MURPHY7 WILLIAM H. WETHERBEE.

said ventral passage, an automatieally-oper# 

